CANADA

Aoife is an influential figure in the contemporary Irish flute tradition, and also plays fiddle and sings. Originally from Dingle, she holds a PhD in Folklore/Ethnomusicology and lectures in Folklore/Béaloideas at the Folklore Department, UCC. A regular contributor to radio and television, Aoife works and publishes in both Irish and English and was appointed to the Board of the Arts Council of Ireland. Aoife’s academic interests include include Calendar Custom & Rituals, International Carnival Traditions, Irish Music & Song, Women in Music, Fife & Drum Traditions in Ireland and Beyond, Irish Craft & Clothing Traditions.

Elizabeth Walker performs regularly on baroque, 8 keyed and modern flutes, primarily in orchestras based in the UK, and also gives solo recitals in festivals and conventions in Holland, Toronto, Chicago and Orlando, Switzerland and throughout the UK. Liz runs Flutes in Tuscany, an annual flute course in Tuscany which offers tuition, masterclasses and chamber groups to talented young flautists and adults. She is an Artist for Pearl Flute and taught for many years at the specialist music school in Wells along with concerts throughout Europe in ‘24 with the English Baroque Soloists.

Montreal fiddler Alexis Chartrand has traced a singular path across the Québécois traditional music scene. “Known for his pensive reworkings of Québécois fiddle tunes” Songlines, he has pioneered the use of baroque violin and bows for the interpretation of this repertoire. Alexis’ research into the intersections between traditional and baroque violin styles has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Montréal Arts Council and the Center des Musiciens du Monde. His partnership with multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer Nicolas Babineau has produced three albums, and  concerts in Quebec, Canada, the United States and Europe.

Brenda comes from a rich tradition of music in Co. Meath, having learned concertina from Rena Traynor and Mícheál Ó’Raghallaigh. She has several All-Ireland Fleadh titles to her name both in solo and group competitions and was a finalist in one of the early Young Traditional Musician of the Year competitions. Music has taken her around the world from Hong Kong to Reykjavik, Taipei to Tipperary. In 2016 Brenda released her first solo album of traditional Irish music on concertina, Indeedin You Needn’t Bother to critical acclaim and her latest album, The Light Side of the Tune has just been released.

Màiri Chaimbeul is a harp player and composer from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Described by Folk Radio UK as “astonishing”, she is known for her versatile sound, which combines deep roots in Gaelic tradition with a distinctive improvising voice and honed classical technique. Màiri was twice-nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, finalist in the BBC Young Traditional & Jazz Musicians of the Year and twice participated in Savannah Music Festival’s prestigious Acoustic Music Seminar. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, where she attended with full-scholarship, and was awarded the prestigious American Roots Award.

One of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” Nic Gareiss has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance.” He reimagines movement as a musical practice, recasting dance as a medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Gareiss engages many percussive dance traditions, weaving together a singular dance practice marked by his love of clog, flatfoot, and step dance footwork; improvisation; and musical collaboration. Gareiss received the 2020 Michigan Heritage Award, his home region’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists. He has performed in seventeen countries including at London’s Barbican Centre, the Irish National Concert Hall, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He holds a MA in Ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick.

Originally from Karlskrona and now living in Rättvik, Stefan has recorded with several legendary ensembles in the revival of Swedish traditional music, including Blå Bergens Borduner. He has decades of experience as a music educator and owns Ekedahl Folk Flutes, a company that manufactures hand-crafted traditional Swedish folk flutes, bagpipes, and moraharpas. He tours regularly with The Halifax Rättvik Trio with Peter Rousu and Jennifer Publicover. https://spelpipa.se/

Peter Rousu is a multifaceted guitar and bass player as well as accomplished composer and arranger. Since completing his music training at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm in the mid 90’s, he has played in almost every conceivable musical situation and role, primarily as a bassist. Peter has released several albums with his bands, Fatang and Supernova, as well as The Halifax Rättvik Trio with Stefan Ekedahl and Jennifer Publicover. Peter is a remarkable and impressive musician who seems to have no limitations for his musical expression.

Nick Halley is a drummer/percussionist, keyboardist, composer, and choral conductor. As a drummer and world percussionist, he has performed and recorded internationally with a wide range of world-class musicians. Nick is busy as a choral director in Halifax, Nova Scotia as the founder and Artistic Director of the Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir, Assistant Director of Music at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, where he co-directs choral services and concerts and assists with pipe organ accompaniment. Nick is a uniquely versatile musician, equally at home with classical English church music as with traditional jazz, with Brazilian percussion as with North African and South Indian rhythms.

Rennie has made a name for himself in the traditional music scene worldwide as a stand-out solo performer, as well as touring his own duos, bands, and performing with large international stage productions. He has played and taught all over the world, including music schools such as Ceol Aneas, ScotsStrings, CelticANZ, Gaeltacht, The National Celtic Festival, Boxwood, and folk festivals in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Tasmania, and Port Fairy. In addition to numerous CDs, he recently appeared along side Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Lyle Lovett on the track “The Fireside Jig” from Sandra Boynton’s album Cows and Holly.

The Boxwood Flute Choir, led by Andra Bohnet, explores new and delightful music for this unique sonic universe. The Boxwood Flute Choir is an eagerly anticipated part of Boxwood Canada and is open to all who are adventurous and love to play the flute!